- Paperback: 466 pages
- Publisher: Harvard University Press (April 15 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0674479408
- ISBN-13: 978-0674479401
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.7 x 2.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 680 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#303,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( A ) > Adams, John
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Who is the real John Quincy Adams? The brilliant secretary of state, prime mover behind the Monroe Doctrine, and principled opponent of slavery, defender of the Africans shanghaied aboard the Amistad? Or the ineffectual president stymied by a hostile Congress and his own self-righteousness, the vindictive political foe famed for his cold, disagreeable character? Paul C. Nagel, author of two previous books about the Adams family, seeks to give readers a more human Adams (1767-1848) whose complex nature contained many contradictions. John Quincy Adams is a valuable revisionist biography of a misunderstood figure at the crossroads of American history.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Of all American public figures, none led a more remarkable life than John Quincy Adams. The son of a president, Adams was an elected congressman, an accomplished diplomat, a president himself, and, after vacating the White House in virtual disgrace, a congressman once again from 1831 until his death in 1848. He was a man of letters, had a passion for science and technology, and, more important for the historian, kept a diary for nearly 70 years. With this excellent biography, Nagel continues a string of successful books on America's first families?the Adamses and the Lees (e.g., Descent from Glory, LJ 12/1/82, and The Lees of Virginia, LJ 6/15/90). Nagel focuses more on the private Adams, utilizing diary entries to provide keen insight into this extraordinary man, who often suffered from severe depression. The result is a fascinating psychobiography. Highly recommended for all libraries.?Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Lib., Ala.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Focuses on private life,
By
This review is from: John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life (Paperback)
This book is an excellent discussion of JQA's private life, his thoughts, motives, feelings, etc. I feel that I understand him as a man after having read the books and learned a lot about determination and perseverance that personally benefited me. However, the author did not discuss his achievements and impact on American society in sufficient detail. For example, there is only one brief chapter on his presidency, and it mostly is concerned with how JQA felt about the presidential campaign. It says very little about his interactions with other politicians of the day or how great issues of the day, like slavery were dealt with during his administration.I debated whether to give the book 3 or 4 stars, but I finally settled on 4 because the writing is interesting.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Sorrowful Life,
By Douglas Robert Landro (Kyiv, Ukraine) - See all my reviews
This review is from: John Quincy Adams (Audio Cassette)
Paul Nagel lists as his subtitle "A Public Life, A Private Life." He has done a masterful job of giving us a picture of our sixth president of the US. So why only four stars? - it was depressing. And maybe that is not the fault of the author if John Quincy Adams' personal life was as neurotic as Nagel portrays. It is hard to believe that someone with such a poor self image could rise so high. When I finished the book I was relieved to be done with it - not because of the author's superb research and writing - but because of the portrayal of a waste of a man's life who could have done so much.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably one of my favorite reads........,
By
This review is from: John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life (Paperback)
This book illuminates one of the most enigmatic men in American History, a substandard President, but a huge success in every other endevour he engaged in. Because of his substandard Presidency and being the son of such a distinguished man, he is overshadowed, but he has much to brag about himself. The only fault that I really find in this book is that it does not go into his post-presidential congressional career near deep enough which was the time of some of his greatest triumphs, but still, worth the read!
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